What is Group Therapy?

Group therapy generally consists of regular meetings led by a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. In these meetings, groups of people, generally those sharing the same addiction, are able to talk about their issues and learn coping strategies for dealing with quitting and relapse.

In general, group therapy is used for patients who have recently quit using drugs or alcohol and are trying to stay clean. For inpatient residential rehab services, group addiction therapy often takes place on a regular basis throughout the course of treatment.

Who Should Consider It?

Addiction therapy in a group is often best for recovering addicts who are clean and sober and want to remain that way. For many people, this type of treatment is more accessible and an ideal way to seek counseling.

Having others present during therapy can help to provide a safety net and a sense of community that typically isn’t provided during individualized therapy.

Group therapy can also be very helpful for people who have chaotic family structures since it can provide a necessary support system for staying away from drugs and alcohol. In most cases, individuals that are still using are not candidates for group therapy, as they may need inpatient or intensive outpatient rehab before this option will be beneficial.

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What are the Benefits?

Almost all types of therapy have some benefit for recovering addicts, but group addiction therapy has some that are unique. For many recovering addicts, it becomes an essential part of their routine for a number of reasons, including:

Group treatment provides support on a regular basis. This helps many addicts get through difficult times when they might have otherwise turned to drugs or alcohol.

Regular group sessions can help addicts develop a greater understanding of their disease by seeing the experiences of others.

Having the ability to talk openly among peers who have the same experiences can be hugely beneficial when it comes to shedding the burden and weight addiction can place on an individual’s shoulders.

Group treatment can provide more motivation to the addict looking to overcome drug or alcohol abuse.

Group sessions can help improve coping skills for day-to-day life, as well as addiction control.

Group therapy also allows recovering addicts to learn from the mistakes and successes of others who have the same addiction issues.

Does Group Addiction Therapy Work?

Aggregate studies reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) show that group therapy can work every bit as well for treating addiction and helping avoid relapse as individual therapy. For some, group counseling is even more beneficial because of the additional human contact and the ability to hear and share experiences openly.

Whether group counseling is right for an individual or not can vary from person to person. However, studies show that this type of counseling can be an important step on the path to recovery for many different people.

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